The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that Washington continues to work with regional partners, particularly Egypt and Qatar, to develop a new proposal aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitating a hostage exchange.
According to Reuters, the U.S. is actively engaging in dialogue to revise the ceasefire proposal. The goal is to ensure that the plan can push all parties involved toward reaching a final agreement. However, there is no set timeline for introducing this new proposal.
For a long time, Washington has emphasized that a diplomatic solution is the key to calming the situation in northern Israel. Both Israel and Hamas have been at odds over unresolved points in the ongoing negotiations. One of the major sticking points is Hamas’ demand to end the nearly year-long war and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
In recent weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has introduced a new point of contention, insisting that Israel must maintain a strategic presence along Gaza’s border with Egypt indefinitely.
The conflict escalated following a surprise attack by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to official Israeli data reported by AFP.
Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground offensive, leading to over 41,000 fatalities.
Of the 251 people abducted during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, 97 remain held in Gaza. The Israeli military reports that 33 of those captives are presumed dead.
